I am blown away by the wonderful response I've had for not only the last few chapters, but this story as a whole. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! And even more mind blowing is this story is read in all corners of the world: Estonia, Malaysia, Iceland, Romania, Georgia, Malta, Bulgaria, New Zealand, Sweden, Brazil, and many, many more! It's truly amazing!

Thank you all so very much!

Mark doesn't talk to me until we pull onto the highway. I almost hope he doesn't talk to me at all. I don't want to face the reality that Dr. Grey is right about Meredith and that she lied to me for weeks. I don't want to have to fish through the stories she told me to find the right one. And I certainly don't want to discuss my feelings about everything because I don't know how to feel.

When Mark does talk to me, I know he's pissed. "Did you get the answers you were looking for?"

"What the fuck do you think?"

"Hey, don't snap at me. You practically attacked Ellis Grey on her own goddamn property. I'm sorry she told you shit you didn't think to realize, but I didn't ask to be dragged into this."

"First of all, fuck you. You volunteered to drive me here. Second of all, I didn't attack her and I was standing in the street. Do you actually believe what she said?"

Mark speeds down the highway and I think about the dozen or more times I've told him to drive slower.

"You're kidding me, right? Are you actually insinuating Ellis Grey lied to you?"

"Of course I am. We don't even know her. She probably made it all up to make herself look better."

"Oh, and because you made out with Meredith for two seconds once, you know her so well? You know, I thought this shit was idiotic from the beginning. What did you think would happen when you board a hot, underage runaway in your house? Did you really believe she would be as innocent as pie and forthcoming with her past? If you did you're a fucking idiot. That girl was fucked up when you met her and she's since fucked you up."

I press my shaking hands underneath my thighs. "I don't know what you're talking about, but would you please slow the fuck down."

Mark doesn't release the accelerator even a millimeter. "No, you just don't want to believe what I'm talking about. Meredith showed up with her hips swaying and her lips pouted and you fell onto your knees. You gave that girl everything. She played you like a chump. And now you're pissed because your perfect vision of the hot runaway is scathed. I should have kept my distance, but I didn't want to see you fuck up your entire life. Little did I know, you'd still do it on my watch."

"You have no idea what you're talking about. You spent five hours with her—I spent almost two weeks with her! Meredith might not have been truthful the whole time, but she finally told me the truth before she left. How else do you explain Dr. Ellis Grey—THE Dr. Ellis Grey—no longer practicing medicine? She's a drunk and abused her daughter. If you don't believe Meredith, you're just as bad as doctor not believing that a victim has been raped."

"Yeah, and no woman has ever lied about that before. You really are naïve sometimes Derek. It's fucking shocking that you've made it in New York so long."

I want to hit Mark so badly it hurts.

"Pull over," I command.

"Last time you forced my hand in this car I ended up in fucking Boston. I'm not playing your games anymore Shepherd."

Mark's driving upwards of ninety miles per hour. "Pull over the fucking car. I can't stand being in here with you any longer."

He must not want me around either, because Mark pulls off quickly and I slam my way out of the passenger side. I could call one of my sisters to pick me up, but I'm not even to Boston yet. I'll have to catch a cab. It'll cost me at least $1,000. Mark's door slams as well and he follows me to the guard rail.

"Do you really believe Meredith was honest with you?" his tone screams disbelief.

"Of course I do."

Mark nods and I see a smug smile on his mouth. "So when she left, did she tell you where she was going?"

My phone goes in and out of service. I'm going to have to walk until I can find enough bars. "No, she didn't tell me, but she wouldn't anyway. That's the point. She didn't want anyone to know."

"She told me."

I glare at Mark. "You're lying."

"When have I ever lied to you? But that bitch lied to you from the beginning. She's going to Andy's place in Virginia."

"Andy?"

"Yeah, remember Andy Stark from high school? The kid that ran away when we were freshman?" I barely remembered Andy Stark, but I do remember the town being up in arms about his disappearance. "He started an underground railroad of sorts for runaways. He keeps them safe until they turn eighteen. I told Meredith about it."

I shake my head. "Why would you do that? She could have stayed with me in New York."

"She was never going to stay, man. And when we bought supplies for our beach picnic, she confirmed that to me. She told me to make sure you didn't go after her. She said she'd be heading south. I mentioned Andy's place and got her in contact with him. He called me the a few days after she left here to let me know she's safe and seemingly happy."

"So you've known for almost two weeks that she's okay and you didn't think to tell me that?"

Mark runs his hand through his hair. "Look, you're obsessed. You're not thinking and worse, you're letting some girl get the best of you. Meredith's a liar and she used you for your apartment, food, and attention. I think you should move on. Get back to your life."

"You can go now. I'll take a taxi home." I turn away from Mark and try to find service again.

"You'll never make it home on time."

"I don't fucking care about that. Right now, all I care about is not being anywhere near you."

Mark rolls his eyes and checks his watch. "Let me drive you home."

"No." I finally find service and dial information.

"You're being really immature. Shit's not going your way so what, you're just going to shut me out?"

"No Mark, I'm not shutting you because shit isn't going my way. I'm shutting you out because you've acted like a dick. You're meddling in shit that doesn't concern you and you're fucking with people's lives. I might have known Meredith for a short time, but I believe her. I have no reason not to believe her. You," I jab my finger at him, "on the other hand have been lying to me for weeks. So no, Mark, I'm not shutting you out; I'm cutting you the fuck off. Don't come to my sister's wedding. And don't bother calling me."

Mark stands silent for a minute and then nods. "Have fun time getting home."

I watch as Mark's car pulls from the emergency lane and into traffic. He drives away, leaving me on the side of the highway, without even glancing in his rearview mirror.

"I know, I'm sorry Nancy," I say for the hundredth time.

In the three miles it took me to finally exit the highway, I thought a lot about what Meredith told me and what Ellis and Mark said. I tried to remember every story Meredith told me about her mom, and besides her confession that her mother was a drunk, she only mentioned her mom once—when she told me about their vacation to Florida. And even then, she didn't paint Ellis in a great light. Meredith had no reason to lie to me and Ellis has every reason if she's trying to cover up her missteps along the way. But despite my overall confusion about the Grey women, Mark dumbfounds me even more. I'm glad I didn't punch him, but the desire is still there. He had no right to say anything to me. And to keep such an important piece of information hidden like a fucking hoarder is inexcusable. If I see him at Nancy's wedding, I can't guarantee I'll keep my fists to myself.

Nancy is pissed, of course. The cab is taking forever and company already promised it will be well over $500 to drive me home. I don't care. If I have one thing I don't have to worry about, its money.

"I just don't get what business you could possibly be doing in Massachusetts," she sighs. I can imagine her pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration.

The gas station I wait at for the cab is filthy and depressing. Maybe I should have ridden with Mark.

"It was more personal than business, honestly," I admit.

"Please Derek Christopher Shepherd, please do not tell me you went all the way to Boston for a girl!"

My face reddens and I'm lucky she can't see me.

"He went to Boston for a girl?" Kathleen yells in the background. I hear a slight shuffle and then my oldest sister's voice feeds through the phone. "If you went to Boston to find a girl, I will murder you Derek!"

"The rehearsal dinner is in less than two hours!" Nancy yells. I can hear her voice ricocheting off glassware.

A very uncomfortable looking cab pulls hesitantly into the gas station and I flag the driver down before he decides to bolt. "Look, I'm going to be late for the dinner, but I'll be there as soon as possible. Tell Nancy to relax and have a glass of wine. I'll see you all soon. Love you Kath."

"Derek—" she begins.

I hang up the phone before another word.

"You called a taxi?" a particularly gruff, unshaven man asks me from the front seat. The interior stinks of stale chips and cigarettes. My stomach turns.

"Yeah. Can you take me to New Canaan?"

He laughs and shakes his head, "It'll be seven hundred, flat rate."

I know he's scamming me, but I have no other option. "That's fine."

"All cash, buddy."

I climb into the backseat and roll down the window manually. "I've got cash. Just drive."

My parents' house is lit up like a Christmas tree as the cab pulls into the driveway. The wedding is being held in the backyard at exactly four tomorrow afternoon, and I can tell my parents made sure the gardener paid extra attention to the yard; everything is in full bloom and perfectly preened. I'm sure, by now, the guest rooms are ready for Matt's—Nancy's future husband's—parents and sister. Mom has probably planned the best spread for breakfast tomorrow and has probably arranged for all guests staying the weekend to take a tour just off the coast on our boat.

"Jesus," the driver says. "You weren't kidding when you said you've got the cash."

I pull seven one-hundred dollar bills from my wallet and hand them through the window. "My parents are rich; I'm not."

"Says the man doling out seven hundred bucks."

"Thanks man," I nod and slide out of the cab. I can smell cigarette smoke on my skin and clothes.

I desperately need to shower, but I can already hear the wedding party and parents having dinner on the back patio. My watch tells me I'm over an hour late. I remember, briefly, that Mark has my stuff in his car—including my tuxedo—so I have nothing to wear for the rest of the weekend.

Life honestly can't get any shittier.

Before even contemplating joining the party out back, I need to use the bathroom and wash my arms from the stench of the cab. The house smells of chocolate and I can hear someone rustling around in the kitchen. Fearful to run into one of my hostile sisters, I climb upstairs and duck into my childhood bedroom.

My mom overhauled all our rooms after we left—and already has plans for Amelia's. I removed all my posters and most of the personal belongings—leaving kiddy league metals and trophies and some old textbooks from high school. My room has since been painted a light green and outfitted with a king sized bed. It's the furthest room from my parents' room, so it's the main guest bedroom. It also has two bathrooms: one with a tub and the other with a shower. In high school, when I came home drunk after a party, I always used the tub bathroom when I'd regularly use the shower one. I never figured out why I flipped after a few drinks.

But with our changed rooms, and the sheer, unnecessary size of our house, I've never quite felt at home here.

I turn on the bedroom light and sitting in the middle of the the bed is the tuxedo and weekend bags. On top is a note. All it says is, Call me, man.

I'm distracted by my anger for Mark dissipating and I don't realize someone has stepped into the room behind me. "So…" her voice makes me turn instantly, "we'll get a reaction from your returned luggage, but not the return of your sister."

"Sophia," I smile and take in the sight of my now 24-year-old sister. She looks just as she did six years ago with just a few more freckles across her nose. I cross the room and pull her into a huge. "God it's good to see you."

She wraps her arms around me and I realize how much I've missed her. "You've grown up so much. I guess I retract my statement that you looked the same."

"Thank you," I say against her hair and pull back to observe her at arm's length. "God, you look great. What's in the waters off Scotland: the fountain of youth?"

Sophia swats my hands away and smiles. "I'm not living in Scotland anymore. I live in London now."

"Fancy," I say followed by a whistle. "And what are you doing these days? Are you one of those castle guards that wear the funny hats?"

"We have plenty of time to talk about me later. What about you? Why are you sneaking around up here?"

"My cab ride was less than enjoyable and I don't really want to bear the wrath of Nancy while smelling like a pack-a-day smoker."

Sophia leans in and sniffs my shirt. She scrunches her nose, "You stink."

"Told ya," I roll my eyes. "How pissed is she anyway?"

"You know Nancy, she's angry for about five minutes and then she gets over it."

"So she's not mad at me?"

Sophia laughs, "Oh no, she's royally pissed off, but she's had a bit too much to drink and I think she's forgotten to be mad at you. Wait until tomorrow, when the alcohol clears; she'll be rightfully pissed."

I open my weekend bag with a sigh. "I couldn't get here any faster."

Sophia sits on the edge of the bed. "If I understand it correctly, you and Mark were at the New Canaan exit hours ago." I choose to say nothing. Sophia continues, "Did you really go all the way to Boston for a girl?"

"Did Mark say that?" I snap.

"No, Nancy and Kath did, but you pretty much just confirmed it." I meet her blue eyes. "What's going on? Was she your date?"

I laugh bitterly. She wasn't my date. In fact, I don't know who she is. "It's nothing."

"It's not nothing," Sophia pushes. "I might have been absent for a long time, but I still know when you're hurting. What happened?"

With a sigh I sit beside my sister. I was wrong before; she looks completely different. She looks amazing, of course, but she's grown older and wiser and it shows across her face. I toss my arm around her shoulders and draw her near. "Why don't we talk about you, okay? I have a feeling you're not sticking around for all that long and I feel like I won't have any time like the present."

"Everyone wants to know all about me," she sighs and fiddles with the hem of her skirt.

"Well," I draw her even nearer, "you're the one who's been off globetrotting for years. Come on, seriously, tell me about your life."

Sophia drops her hem and meets my eyes, "I have a three-year-old daughter named Brynn."

My arm skids down her back to come to rest on the comforter beside my hip. I stare at my sister—my lovely, free-spirited sister—and I try to imagine her with a daughter on her arm. I've never had a problem picturing Kathleen and Nancy with children, years before they ever married; even Amelia having children one days seems normal, but I've never once imagined Sophia would allow herself to be tied down by a children.

"She's beautiful," she continues. "She looks like her father, Max."

I continue to stare wide-eyed without words.

"He's a good guy, Derek. We met in Scotland. He was spending his holiday from Kings College in Scotland. He went back to London after two weeks north, and I found out I was pregnant a few months later. Brynn wasn't planned, but she's loved. Max is wonderful with her and we've been together ever since. We're thinking of getting married," she shrugs. With a sigh, she takes my left hand, "Are you freaking out? Mom and Dad freaked out and I don't know if I can handle anymore yelling tonight."

"Why didn't you tell us? Why didn't you tell me?"

Sophia squeezes my palm, "I didn't know what was going to happen. I wasn't sure how Max was going to react and I didn't want to unload all this onto my family without all the answers."

"And after Brynn was born… Why didn't you call then? Why didn't you call after Max decided to stand by you?"

"So much time had passed. It seemed… I don't know, strange I guess, to have not had told you sooner."

I tug my hand from hers and use it to drag through my hair. "But you just told me you decided to not tell us sooner. I've had a niece for three years and you're just getting around to telling me now?"

"It wasn't easy, Derek. Max and I struggled a lot in the beginning. We were young and we were barely making it. I was embarrassed. Haven't you ever been embarrassed and kept a secret before?"

I've been keeping Meredith a secret for weeks. And until I berated her mother on her own property, I'd never felt embarrassed. But my imagination ran from me and I created a fantasy in my head; I needed to know who Ellis Grey really was. And I walked away like a dog with his tail between his legs. But my secret isn't nearly as bad as Sophia's.

Even so, I'm finding it hard to really be mad at her when I feel the joy of being an uncle all over again. "Is she in London with her father?"

Sophia shakes her head, "No, she's here. So's Max." She smiles slightly. "I'd like you to meet them."

And with those words, the sins of my sister's past are washed away. She's kept secrets and told lies, but she's still my sister. And I still love her.

After the rehearsal dinner, of which I missed the entire dinner, and meeting Brynn and Max—both of whom are amazing and perfect for Sophia—the children are tucked away, my parents retire to their room, and I'm left with my siblings and their significant others. I've never felt much like an outsider before, but as Kathleen nestles up against Hank, and Nancy sneaks kisses along Matt's jaw, and Sophia runs her hand across Max's knee, and even little Amelia folds herself into Will's lap, I feel completely and utterly alone. No, I feel lonely.

I want that. I want the casual touches and the pointed glances. I want the soft, warm kisses and the chance to sneak grazes and pets when I think no one is looking. I want a woman on my arm that my family knows and loves. I want to have someone to dance with at the wedding; someone besides my mom and sisters.

"Mom was acting weird tonight, wasn't she?" Amelia asks. She's always been the boldest of any of us.

Kathleen draws herself away from Hank and nearly glares at her youngest sister. "She seemed fine to me." I can see her growing defensive.

"I think she seemed a little weird," Sophia offered.

Amelia narrows her eyes. She hasn't been as forgiving of Sophia. "And how would you know?"

"Amy," I glare. She turns away from me.

"I'm just saying she hasn't been around in nearly a decade. How would she know when Mom's acting weird or not?"

"There's no need to exaggerate, Amelia," Nancy reprimands her. "Six years is not almost a decade."

"No, but it's a long ass time for her to be gone, only to return and start pretending to understand us."

Sophia looks at Max and then leans forward in her chair. She tries to catch Amelia's eye. "I'm sorry you're mad at me. I understand your feelings, but I was around for eighteen years. I know Mom's emotions just as well as you do." Amelia refuses to even acknowledge Sophia. "Amy, I'm—"

"Don't call me that!" she snaps and stands up. "You abandoned us with nothing besides a stupid goodbye note! You got knocked up, but didn't bother telling us, your family, that we had another niece! Another grandkid! I'm not going to sit here with the rest of you and pretend its fine. It's not fine. And I won't listen to you pretending to know us. You don't know anything!" Amelia storms off towards the house.

Will starts after her and smiles sadly, "She's not dealing well. She'll come around," he offers kindly to Sophia.

Nancy takes pity on Sophia, "You know Amelia. She's dramatic. She'll forgive you."

Sophia stares at her feet, but I can see that her eyelashes are wet. "I don't know her though. I left when she was twelve. She was just becoming a person and I left." Sophia wipes at her eyes, "Excuse me."

The rest of us are quiet for a few moments until Max stands. "Are you family events always so dramatic? I mean, the wedding hasn't even happened yet and it's like a global meltdown," he smirks.

I find myself laughing, quickly followed by my remaining sisters and their significant others. Max bows and points to the house, "I'll be following her now. I'll see you all tomorrow."

"Good night," we call upon his retreat.

Nancy and Matt seem to already be on their honeymoon, but Nancy distracts herself long enough to focus on me. "You've been quiet lately. What have you been up to?"

"Yeah," Kathleen slides into the conversation, "and where did you really go today?"

"I went to Boston. Mark already told you that."

"For 'business,'" Nancy says with air quotes. "You're med students. What business could you possibly have in Boston?"

I scrub my hand along my face. "We went to Mass Gen."

"Why?" Kathleen hounds me.

"Why does it matter?" Hank asks. I've always liked him.

Kathleen draws away from him, "Because, he's lying. He should tell the truth."

Hank shakes his head, "And ganging up on him and dragging details from him is a good way? If Derek has secrets to keep, we should respect that. As long as it's not illegal," he stares at me, waiting for an answer; I shake my head. "Well, then we're good."

"So you think its okay that he's lying?"

"Sophia lied and you're not harassing her with twenty-one questions."

"She had a good reason for lying," Nancy defends.

Hank smiles and shakes his head. "You two are crazy, you know that?" he looks between Kathleen and Nancy. "You have no idea what Derek was doing in Boston. Maybe he was asked to visit Mass Gen. Or maybe he did follow some girl up there. Either way, you're not going to believe him, but you automatically believe and trust Sophia again." Hank sighs, "It's really insane this double standard you have against you brother."

Kathleen and Nancy sit dumbstruck.

I lift my beer to Hank, "Nicely put."

He clinks his beer to mine, "We gotta stick together."

"I'm hoping you found the girl," Matt pipes in. I'm sure he finds very little quiet time around Nancy to speak at all, so he takes his chance.

I roll my eyes. "There's no girl." But then I realize maybe telling my sisters some of the truth will be beneficial to me. "I went to Mass Gen to speak to Dr. Grey."

Kathleen starts first, "Ellis Grey?" she asks incredulously.

"The very same. Why?"

Nancy and Kathleen laugh in tandem. "How were you even allowed into the pre-med program? Ellis Grey hasn't practiced medicine in years. She stopped right around the time Kathleen started her internship."

"Why doesn't she practice?"

"There are a lot of rumors. Mal-practice, combative with co-workers, shifting money illegally through an insider in the accounting department. My favorite might be that she tried to remove a man's leg for no apparent reason, was discovered by the chief halfway through sawing it off, and was fired on the spot," Kathleen laughs.

"She's coming back, though," Matt chimes in. He works besides Nancy at Cedar Sinai and he's the son of Colombia's Chief. He knows everything. "She'll be attending the National Convention in DC this year."

"She will?" Nancy gasps. "You didn't tell me that!"

"You're cardio, why would you care about a general conference?"

"It's Ellis Grey, Matt, of course I care! Are you going?"

He shrugs, "I wasn't planning on it."

"Well plan on it. Talk to your dad," she demands.

"I'd like to go, too," Kathleen smiles sweetly. She's very good at making things go her way. "You can watch the kids for a few days, right love?" she asks Hank. He works on Wall Street and rarely cares about our medical talk.

He nods, "Sure." Scratch that. Hank never cares about the medical talk.

"Can I go?" Everyone, except Hank, shoots me a look. Maybe I could try to speak to Ellis again. "I'm thinking of going into general and to hear Ellis Grey talk would really help me advance before med school."

Matt offers me a grin, "I'll see what I can do."

Whatever the reason my family thinks I want to go, they're wrong. And the lie of it all, makes the promise of the DC conference that much more appealing. All I need is a few minutes with Ellis Grey and maybe she'll be persuaded to elaborate on her misgivings about her daughter.